I'm kind of alone among most of my friends in my love for Willie Nelson, but as a fan of classic country, it's hard not to be swayed by his impressive career. Shotgun Willie is among his best. It features many of his own compositions rather than covers that later made him more famous.

From songs about drowning in a whiskey river, to the dance floor perfection of Stay all Night (Stay a Little Longer), from the lamenting romances of Sad Songs and Waltzes and She's Not For You, this album plays like a wonderfully beery night Donn's Depot in Austin.

Recorded with Atlantic after an opressive relationship with RCA, Nelson seems to be giving his all here on his own terms, and with that independent self expression, he defined a new sound in country.

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Posted on June 29, 2009

Random Family is an astonishing, eye opening, heartbreaking and completely engrossing saga – and all the more so because it's true. Author Adrian Nicole LeBlanc spent decades with two families in the heart of the most notorious neighborhoods in the Bronx through considerable hardships: drugs, prison, abuse and triumphs: romance, children, small victories.

The tough streets have long been a topic of movies and books, but rarely is the focus on the women. Coco and Jessica are sadly typical of their upbringing, one has five kids before she's reached thirty, the other lands in jail after getting unwittingly involved in her boyfriend's drug trade, but both are compelling, if flawed characters who deal with situations most people I?know would not have the strength to.

The world they live in, with both the dazzling thug culture and the prevailing hopelessness is not glamorized, judged, or played up for our sympathies. LeBlanc is exceptionally even and fair with her depictions and wisely keeps herself out of the story. For better or worse, the story of their lives are told with honesty by the people who lived it.

Much like the tenement photographs “How the other half lives” by Jacob Riis,?Random Family offers a glimpse of the often ignored and misunderstood parts of our country.

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Posted on June 29, 2009

Cat Cora is most famous from her stint as the first female chef Iron Chef and for being pregnant the same time as her wife, Jennifer. A fan of Mediterranean cuisine, her shrimp salad is light and lemony and not nearly as heavy as the mayo kind we're all used to. Of course I kind of negated any health benefits by matching it with garlic bread which worked great sopping up the vinaigrette.

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Posted on June 22, 2009

It's been years since I've seen Tipping the Velvet, but this lush and lusty saga is pretty unforgettable. Based on the debut novel by Sarah Waters of the same name, the BBC adaptation is in the capable hands of adaptation king Andrew Davies. Set in Victorian England, the story is a rambling and expansive look at lesbian life during the era.

Nan, a spirited young woman goes from poor oyster house wench to stage performer to kinky rent “boy”, to kept woman and more. She's played by Rachael Stirling, who may be better known to you as the lovely daughter of Diana Rigg.

Lots of great costumes and settings abound and an entire world that rarely makes it to the big or little screen comes alive in this acclaimed series that is available on DVD.

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Posted on June 22, 2009

If there's one thing in the meat department Germans are known for, its sausage (aka wurst).?While there are lots of good places to find a good wurst around town or even around the country, there is only one place to have a nice Weiss wurst (a white sausage).?And that place is Munich.?

To top that off, the best place to get any cooked meat product in Munich is the Weisses Br?uhaus M?nchen.?Home of Schneider Weiss beer among other things, its also the home of some pretty tasty meats.?Be sure to check out the fine dolled up Munich beer maidens while their and sample their brand of dunkel (a dark German beer) that they make there that I've never had anywhere else.

Another specialty is the braten! the bierrebraten is a roast of pork shoulder, soaked for perhaps days in beer and then cooked and served with bread dumplings.?Its pretty amazing, and only 8 euros for literally pounds of food.?However, while in Munich one must do as the Bavarians do and enjoy a nice plate of white sausages (a regional speciality).?Usually served with some sauerkraut that even has more meat in it, its the perfect German summer time, winter time or anytime treat.

Sadly, we don't have an actual photo of the sausages so I threw in an awesome photo from the fair.

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Posted on June 22, 2009